Minnesota Firefighter

8/13/2019 Minnesota Firefighter

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The official publication of the Minnesota State Fire Department AssociationVol. 1 - No. 2 February/March 2014 Phone (515) 604-6400

www.msfda.org

Matt CarlsonNorthwest MN218.830.0238

Dick AdkinsSouthwest MN605.530.8210

Dave BrunnetteSoutheast MN612.875.1103

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A candle burning in the garage may have caused a fire that de-stroyed a Hutchinson house on Nov. 25. Fire Chief Brad Emans(pictured) retired on Dec. 31 after 23 years in the position. He waswith the Hutchinson Fire Department since 1975. See photo andstory inside. Photo by Terry Davis, Hutchinson Leader.


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MN Firefighter 2014 02.indd 1 1/8/2014 10:37:25 AM

Two families lost

their homes Wednes-

day night when the

southeast Brainerd

duplex apartment

they were living incaught fire

By Jennifer StockingerBrainerd Dispatch

The American Red Cross as-sisted the two families - consistingoffive adults and two children andan infant - on the 500 block of13thStreet Southeast in Brainerdwith disaster relief for immediaterecovery needs, such as shelter,clothing, food and emotionalsupport.

No one was injured in the firereported at 9:51 p.m.

Heavy smoke was seenthroughout the building and we

entered into extremely hot condi-tions, Brainerd Fire Chief KevinStunek said. We found a dryer inthe basement (that appeared to bethe cause) and we were relativelyable to quickly knock it down. Thefire got into the wall and we wereable to get to it and extinguish it.Brainerd fire had about 17-20firefighters responding to the firein the extreme cold weather condi-tions. According to the NationalWeather Service, Brainerd had an18 below wind chill. Two enginesand a ladder truck were used.

This is the third house fireBrainerd Fire and Rescue hasresponded to in the past monththat has left families without ahome. There was a fire on Nov.11 at Northridge Construction andWoodworking shop and destroyedthe cabinet shop and the attachedhome owned by Krissy and Tom

Above: Flashing emergency strobes light up the night as firefighters battle fire as wellas extreme weather conditions in the form of snow and sub-zero temperatures on Dec. 11.The fire displaced two families. Below: Heavy smoke was seen throughout the building asfirefighters arrived on the scene at this fire in Brainerd. Photos by Kelly Humphrey of theBrainerd Dispatch.

Tw o Fam ilies DisplacedAndrew. The fire at the Andrewshome left the couple and their twochildren homeless. Then on Nov.29 a split-level home on TravisTrail off Highway 371, also wasdestroyed by fire. A family of fourwas left homeless.

Stunek said with the extremecold temperatures, heavy snowand early winter the lakes areais experiencing, that people areturning up the heat to stay warmand the extra heating sources canincrease the probability of fires.Stunek said the wood stoves,fireplaces and the extra extensioncords can be hazardous.

Slunek advised people to usecaution when using the extra heat-ing sources as The last thing wewant is for someone to get hurt.

Capt. Terry Sluss with theAmerican Red Cross NorthernMinnesota Region agreed withStunek that the early winter weath-er has caused more fires. Sluss saidtheyve assisted to six or sevenfamilies in the past month withdisaster relief. Ken Bertin of the

American Red Cross has helpedSluss with the past two fires in theBrainerd area.

When asked if the AmericanRed Cross is able to assist all thefamilies in need, Sluss said, Wecan always use more resourcesto help.

Sluss said the best donation tohelp families is cash, but gift cardsalso will be accepted. Sluss saidthe American Red Cross does nothave the capacity to sort throughclothes.

People can make a donationto support American Red CrossDisaster Relief by going to red-cross.org or call 1-800-Red-Cross.Contributions may also be sent toyour local American Red Crosschapter at 1900 Division St. W.,Unit 1, Bemidji, MN 56001 or tothe American Red Cross, P.O. Box37243, Washington, DC 20013.

Isanti Fire Chief Randy Polzin recently presented JohnBartz with an axe in appreciation of his 36 years of serviceas an Isanti Fireman, and most recently the Chairman of theIsanti Area Joint Powers Agreement Operating Fire Depart-ment. John and his family have been strong supporters ofthe Fire Department, and have devoted countless hours overthe last 36 years. Fire Department milestones in Johns 36

years include the upbringing of the Isanti Firemans annualPRCA sanctioned professional rodeo, of which will run its 38thconsecutive performance this July, as well as the formationof the Isanti Fire District in 1999.


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MINNESOTA FIREFIGHTER, FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 TELL THEM YOU SAW IT IN THE MINNESOTA FIREFIGHTER 3

The Delaware street fire started

with a candle in the garage.By Terry Davis

Hutchinson LeaderA fire Monday morning is believed to have totally destroyed a

Hutchinson house along the Crow River at 1318 Delaware St. N.W.,

but fortunately there were no injuries.The fire, called in at about 9:47 a.m., initially started in the areaof the garage on the west end of the home listed to Nghia Nyugen,who has lived there at least 20 years.

Fire Chief Brad Emans said Nyugen reported having a candleburning in the garage when he went to the restroom inside. Whenhe returned, the fire had started.

Nyugen and a woman were seen moving four cars out of thedriveway and garage prior to firefighters arriving. A fifth car, anOldsmobile parked in front of the garage, was damaged by the fire.

Emergency personnel blocked State Highway 7/22 for severalhours because a water hose was connected to a hydrant north of thehighway near Excelsior Homes. A hydrant closer to the home wason a dead-end water line and had only minimal pressure.

The fire departments pumper truck, the first on the scene, had aninternal pipe burst early in the response and was unable to provideits usual water capacity, Emans said. Firefighters had to bring thedepartments ladder truck forward to provide pumping capacity.

Emans said Nyugen told him the home was not insured and that

they didnt have relatives in the area to stay with. The AmericanRed Cross was called to assist.Ninety minutes after the initial call, firefighters were in what is

referred to as overhaul mode. Emans said the fire had spread tothe attic, making it too dangerous to have firefighters inside. Theladder truck was used to fight the blaze from above at that point.

Hutchinson firefighters battle a fire at 1318 Delaware St. NW. The fire started in the ga-rage, being ignited by a candle. Photo by Terry Davis, Hutchinson Leader.

M onday morning fi re destroys riverside home

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ARE YOU FIRE FIT?

The Morris Fire Departmentwas called to a fire on the

west side of Morris on Fridayafternoon.According to Fire Chief Dave

Dydal, the fire was reported at903 Albany Avenue just afternoon by a passerby. A nursefrom the West Wind Village wasdoing house checks in the areaand noticed smoke coming fromthe house. Early reports indicatethat they tried to enter the hometo see if anyone was inside.

Dybdahl reports that oncethe front door was opened, itintroduced oxygen to the fire andcreated a backdraft.

The first fire truck on the scenereported heavy fire and smokecoming from the back side ofthe house. Fire crews quickly

stretched a attack line, madeentry through the garage area and

pushed the fire back towards theeast side of the house to save themain structure. The fire had allready vented itself, breaking the

back windows before firefightersarrived, according to Dybdal.

Below zero temperatures onFriday complicated matter, as

everything the water touchedbecame ice within minutes.The homeowner had left theresidence approximately threehours before the fire wasreported.

Dybdal is thankful no one wasinjured in the blaze.The cause of the fire waselectrical, and is believed to havestarted in a baseboard heater.The estimated loss is between$150,000 and $160,000.

Morris had three fire engines,a heavy rescue truck and a laddertruck on the scene. The Donnellyfire department also respondedwith an engine truck and extrafire fighters. The Hancock firedepartment also was on standby

at the Morris fire station.Also responding to the

scene were the Stevens CountyAmbulance, Stevens CountySheriffs Department, MorrisPolice Department and theMinnesota Deputy State FireMarshal.

Morris Home Guttedby Fire


4/24


AUDI O COMMUNI CATI ONSPi oneer of Two Way Radi osPi oneer of Two- Way Radi os

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Publication of Blaze Publications Inc.Jeff Gargano ......................................................................... Publisher/EditorJen Jensen ....................................................... Advertising Design ManagerJen Jensen .............................................................................Page Designer

Minnesota Firefighter(pending Periodical) is published bi-monthly (Dec/Jan,

Feb/March, April/May, June/July, Aug/Sept, Oct/Nov) by Blaze Publications Inc.,512 Sumner Avenue, Humboldt, Iowa 50548. Application to Mail at PeriodicalPostage Prices is Pending at Humboldt, IA and additional mailing offices.POSTMASTER: send address changes to: Minnesota Firefighter, 27811 HollyDrive NW, Isanti, MN 55040.

NEWS & ADVERTISING DEADLINE: 10TH DAY OF PREVIOUS MONTHE-Mail us at: [email protected]

Telephone (515) 604-6400 FAX (515) 332-1505512 Sumner Avenue, Humboldt, IA 50548

Advertising Rate Card available upon request.We welcome your views, opinions, news tips and questions.

Letters to the editor must be accompanied by a name and daytimetelephone number, and may be edited for space.

POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TOMINNESOTA FIREFIGHTER,

27811 HOLLY DRIVE NW, ISANTI, MN 55040

For ADDRESS CHANGES

CONTACT:

DeeDee Jankovich at

763-221-9329 [email protected] On December 18,at 15:24 hours, the Courtland Fire Department was dispatched to a

heavy smoke and flames call in Blue Earth County on Hwy. 68. Upon arrival, firefightersfound a post-frame building filled with firewood to be heavily involved. Upon recognizing thelogistical complications of a remote rural area and the many chords of wood that were storedin the building, Courtland Fire Chief Dave Ubel called for back up water and apparatusfrom Nicollet, Lake Crystal, and New Ulm Fire Departments. Jason Walters (owner) andhis Dad Rich both used backhoes to move the firewood around while firefighters dumpedapproximately 25,000 gallons of water on it to be sure any smoldering embers were out

before clearing the scene. Many people in southern Minnesota remember the Cat & FiddleSupper Club. It was a popular place from the 1950s through the 1970s. The main buildingwas not damaged and the scene was cleared at 18:28 hours. Submitted by Courtland FireDepartment.

DeeDee Jankovich, MSFDAExecutive Administrator,contacted me about doingarticles for the MN Firefighter.I told her I would be honoredto contribute. So starting withthe next issue I will be coveringissues pertaining to MN VFRAssuch as bylaws, administration

and legislative issues. As thisis my first article for the MNFirefighter, I felt I should givesome background on myself.

I am a retired firefighterfrom the Apple Valley FD andalso retired career firefighterfrom Richfield FD. During my22 years with Apple ValleyI have been involved withthe relief association since1981 and served as Treasurer,President and currently serve asAdministrator.

Since the 80s I have taughtrelief association issues atfire schools, started the relieftraining at MSFDA conferencesin 1998 and continue to dotraining at conferences and fire

schools today. Today I havecreated a service of assistingrelief associations with any helpthey may need. This includesbylaw review, assisting withadministration issues andanswering questions they mayhave.

I have served on theMinnesota Office of the State

Auditor (OSA) Volunteer FireRelief Association WorkingGroup (VFRAWG) since itsinception seven years ago. TheWorking Group brings togetherthe major volunteer fire reliefassociation stakeholders towork on legislative changes tomake the pension process easier

and more effective. Informationon the Working Group bill for2014 can be found at; http://www.osa.state.mn.us/default.aspx?page=reliefworkinggroup.If you have issues that youfeel the Working Group shouldconsider or questions on thecurrent issues, please feel free tocontact me.

One item that has come up thisyear at the VFRAWG is trainingfor VFRAs. A committeehas been formed to study theissue and we will continue tobrainstorm this year. Some ofthe issues are: What topics would be ofinterest to VFRA Boards,

What locations around the statewould work to hold classes and What day of the week and timeof day would work best for themost people to attend training.

If you have suggestions onthese issues, please give me acall or send an email.

If you have questions aboutissues in your relief association,

I am available to assist you orgive you some guidance, justgive me a call or send an email.I am also willing to come toyour location to discuss issueswith your board for the costof mileage, no other fee. I amalso available to attend regionalmeetings if your Region

is interested. I can discussvolunteer fire relief associationissues or provide training. Feelfree to contact me at 612-598-6369 or by email at dganfield@

hotmail.com.My goal is to assist volunteer

firefighter relief associationsin being better able to operatetheir relief association. I haveSAMPLE application formsavailable for membership,deferred retirement andretirement with the Safe Harbor

Notice. I am offering these atno cost. Simply email me [email protected] withyour request for the applicationforms. Please include your

name, department and contactnumber and I will email themto you on a word document toallow you to make changes andadd or delete information.

I am very pleased to submitarticles to the MN Firefighterin order to help VFRA boardmembers and I look forward to

hearing from many of you.

Dave [email protected]

612-598-6369

Volunteer Firefi ghter Relief Associat ion (VFRA) Inform ation


5/24


THEMINNESOTAPROFESSIONALFIREFIGHTERS, M INNESOTAFIRECHIEFSASSOCIATION THETHEMINNESOTAPROFESSIONALFIREFIGHTERS, MINNESOTAFIRECHIEFSASSOCIATION&THEM INNESOTAFIREDEPARTMENTASSOCIATIONSANNUALLEGISLATIVECONFERENCEISSCHEDULEDMINNESOTAFIREDEPARTMENTASSOCIATIONSANNUALLEGISLATIVECONFERENCEISSCHEDULEDFORWEDNESDAY, MARCH12, 2014. EVERYOFFDUTYFIREFIGHTERSHOULDTRYTOATTENDFORWEDNESDAY, MARCH12, 2014. EVERYOFFDUTYFIREFIGHTERSHOULDTRYTOATTEND

MARCH 12 2014MARCH 12, 2014AT THE CAPITOL LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCEAT THE CAPITOL LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCERegistration begins at 7:00 am with a speaker program at 7:45 a.m. and appointments with legislators

to begin at 9:00. Registration and meeting is at The Labor and Professional entre 411 Main St.,

St. Paul, 55102 with free parking, continental breakfast, and shuttles running to the Capitol.

** SHIRTS: We are using the same red Fire Service Day at the Capitol shirts as last year.

All participants must wear the designated fire shirt while at the Capitol.

REGISTRATION: To register for the conference, please complete the attached form (only one registrant per

form, please). Mail, along with your check for $25 per attendee, registration or $60 for registration and shirt.

Mail to:

MPFF, 8100 Wayzata Boulevard, St. Louis Park, MN 55426-1338

NAME: __________________________________________________________________________________________

LAST FIRST

HOME ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________________________

CITY: _____________________________ STATE: ______ ZIP: ________ Phone: __________________________

AFFILIATION: MPFF ____ MSFCE ____ MSFDA ____

Indicate Organization or Local Name & Number/City ____________________________________________________

Legislators STATE Senator____________________________________________

(District in which you reside) STATE Representative ______________________________________

Registration Only: $25 Registration and Shirt: $60 Shirt Size (if ordering) Size M L XL XXL

Total Amount Enclosed __________ (Make check payable to MPFF)Registration Deadline is January 31, 2014

2014 Fire Service Day at the Capitol2014 Fire Service Day at the Capitoll egisl at ive conf er ence r egist r at ion f or mMarch 12 2014March 12, 2014

Please complete this registration form (ONE NAME PER FORM) and return to the MPFF (please print)

By Sarah SmithPark Rapids Enterprise

A rural Nevis couple losteverything Wednesday nightin an inferno that two firedepartments battled in subzero

conditions.East Hubbard County, the

Akeley Fire Department, andNevis Fire Department, werenot able to save the home ofJames and Remy Tauber, off190th Street.

A fire Thursday consumed amobile home in Hubbard Countythe following day in Hart LakeTownship.

According to Nevis Fire ChiefKerry Swenson, the first callcame in just before 6 p.m. at theTauber home. He said the retiredcouple just barely escaped theflames.

The fire was started by a heatlamp used to keep the family

pets warm.Akeley Fire Chief Lee Johnsonsaid 18-22 firefighters and eighttrucks braved the conditionsuntil after 9 p.m.

It was cold, Johnson said.Complicating the already

difficult task was poor accessto the house and a line of carsparked between the drivewayand home.

We really lucked out. Therewas just enough room to getback there, Johnson said.

Everything that could havegone wrong did. Firefighters ranout of water numerous times asthey jockeyed trucks in and outof the driveway.

Akeley called Nevis in under a

mutual aid agreement, Swensonsaid. White Oak Township is inAkeleys zone of coverage.

Pumps froze, fingers froze.All the tankers froze up

before we were done, Johnsonsaid.

Everything freezes and nomatter how much you try tokeep water moving, the metalhose parts freeze, Swenson said.

Akeley responds to aroundsix structure fires a year, but itvaries, Johnson said.

We prefer it when itswarmer, he dead-panned.

Swenson took the couple to aPark Rapids motel and plannedto meet with them Thursday

to gauge their needs. Theywere uninsured, he said. Thedepartment has a small fund toaid fire victims, Swenson said,but its not a large amount.

All the animals but one catwas saved. Firefighters werecalled back to the scene Fridaymorning when a hot spot flaredback up.

Thursday afternoon Lakeportand Lake George firefightersbattled - and lost - a fire ata mobile home in Hart LakeTownship.

Although temps were abovezero, firefighting crews werestill cursed by lack of water,proper hose fittings, manpowerand access to the scene off 315thAvenue.

The house was a total loss.Crews at the scene said thefemale homeowner was on her

A house on 190th Streetburned after a heating lampignited materials. East Hub-bard County, the Akeley FireDepartment and Nevis FireDepartment, were not ableto save the home. Photo bySarah Smith, Park RapidsEnterprise.

Two homes lost in fires inHubbard County this week

way to the hospital, but it wasnot clear if she was injured orbeing seen as a pre-caution. Hername was not available by thetime the Enterprise went to pressFriday morning.


6/24


By David SchliekDo you require members

of your organization to becertified at different levelsof proficiency based on theirduties/responsibilities? Arethere individuals within yourorganization that have reachedthe top of the certificationladder within their areas ofresponsibility? Do you lead

by example, and believe youmodel behavior expected fromsubordinates? The MinnesotaFire Service Certification Boardis now offering a new set ofchallenges for chief officers.

After several months ofdevelopment, as well asaccreditation reviews by IFSACand the ProBoard, Fire OfficerIII, Fire Officer IV, and Fire

Instructor III are now availableto interested individuals.These levels are offered in amore individualized format.Interested parties should call theCertification Office to begin the

process.These exams are very similar

to others, in that participants areexpected to complete a writtenexam, as well as practicalskills. Written exams are in thesame form as previous levels ofexamination. What is differentabout these levels is that the

practicals are Take Home, witha 90 day window for completion.Participants will be assigned anevaluator at the beginning of the

practical process. That evaluatorwill provide guidance throughthe 90 day period, in that they will

provide the expectations requiredof the skills requirements. Oncethe skills are completed, the

participant will meet with theevaluator to defend the bodyof work. Certification is basedon successful completion on allthree activities.

The process is very intense,and will provide challengingopportunities to those

participating. The exams are

referenced to the most currenteditions of Professional

Qualifi

cations for Fire Offi

cers NFPA 1021, and/or ProfessionalQualifications for Fire Instructors

NFPA 1041. Interested partiesshould review the appropriatestandard(s) and be familiar withthe job performance requirements(JPRs) listed for each of thelevels. Reviewing expectationswritten in the standard will helpyou decide if you are ready to

pursue these levels. I would askthat interested individuals takea few minutes and go throughthis exercise. It will be difficultto complete the skills stations inthe 90 day window if you havenot had experience in the area ofcompetency required.

Written exam questions are

referenced to the Jones andBartlett Officer text. SeveralJPRs from the standard will berandomly generated and usedto make up individual skillsexaminations. Practical skillstations should reflect real lifeexperience. Actual experienceswill be easier for the candidatedefend when meeting with theevaluator. Again, one will not

be able to talk their way throughpractical stations withoutexperience within the JPR beingtested.

As the MFSCB introducesthese higher levels ofcertification, the expertise ofthe evaluators is very much at

the forefront. With that said, theevaluator pool for these levelsis quite small. Not that this willslow the process but, improve it

by adding integrity to the qualityof review.

I believe there are a number ofindividuals within Minnesotasfire service that have theexperience to successfullycomplete these certificationlevels. I offer the challenge,knowing several will answer it.Good luck and I wish you the

best.

Certification LevelsOffered for ChiefOfficer Ranks

DEPARTED FIREFIGHTERS

Nathan Potter

Matthew Charles Frantz, 42,of Rice Lake Township, passedaway unexpectedly while atwork on Dec. 9, 2013, in Duluth. He was born June 8, 1971,in St. Paul and grew up in theWoodland neighborhood. Mattgraduated from Duluth CentralHigh School in 1989 and fromLake Superior College in Duluthin 1996 with a degree in fire tech-nology and administration. He served in the U.S. Armyfrom 1991-93, during whichtime he served abroad in Korea.After that he was a reservist inthe Army National Guard until1998, when he achieved the rankof Sergeant. Matt was hired as a driver forUPS in 1994, and worked there

In just 30 years, Nate Pottertouched a lifetime of people. Hehad a knack for bringing peopletogether. Anyone who met Natewould tell you, his smile andsense of fun was always there

and guaranteed to cheer up yourday.

Nathan Scott Potter was raisedon the family century farmnorthwest of Springfield thathe later farmed with his father.He graduated from SpringfieldHigh School, attended collegein Mankato, and graduated fromRidgewater Community Collegein Willmar, MN with degrees inFarm Operations Managementand Agricultural Business.

Nate loved the solitude of thefarm life and also believed deeplyin community. Nate traveled thenation for the Pork Producersand worked major events on bothcoasts. He was a fire fighter with

the Springfield Fire Departmentand a barn manager for theBrown County Fair Swine Barn.Since age 6, Nate participated inthe Springfield Nativity Pageantin several roles over the years.

Nate had a real passion for theoutdoors from fishing to huntingand trapping. Nate would take his

grandmother deerhunting each year.

Nate loved takinghis motorcycle outon the open roadfor fresh air. Oneof Nates biggest

passions was theannual display

put on by PottersPyros. For anyonewho ever attendedthis celebrationof friendshipand communitythrough music andfireworks, you neverleft disappointed,hungry, orthirsty.

Nates life iscelebrated by hisfamily including:father & mother- Dennis & Lucy Potter(Springfield, MN); sister - Jessica

Potter and her partner JonathanONeill (Hallandale, FL); sister- Erin (Potter) Lafferty, and herhusband John, and her childrenKierin & Kiera; grandmother -Barbara Hunter (Windom, MN);and grandfather - Robert Potter(Springfield). He was precededin death by his grandfather -

Clifford Hunter and grandmother- Lorraine Potter.

In lieu of flowers, a memorialdonation may be given to eitherthe Springfield Fire Departmentor Brown County 4H Extensionlivestock program. Donationscan be sent to: The family of

Nate Potter, Sturm FuneralHome, 407 N. Jackson PO Box58, Springfield, MN 56087.

Matthew Charles Frantzuntil his death. In early 1995,Matt met the loveof his life, JenniferWilliams, and mar-ried her on Aug. 29,1998, in Duluth. In 2000, Matt

joined the Rice LakeVolunteer Fire De-partment and wasnamed fire chief in2009. His passionfor this particular or-ganization and causewas deep and wellknown to all whoknew him. Some ofMatts closest anddearest friendshipswere formed with

the men and womenwho fought fires

alongside him as volunteers withthe fire department. He was an avid outdoorsmanand loved fishing, hunting andcamping. Mostly he loved doingall those things with members ofhis family and is missed deeplyby many. He absolutely lovedgetting together with family andhelped plan many gatheringsthroughout the years. He was agood son, who was very good tohis mom and dad and very help-ful. He was preceded in death byhis grandparents, Bill and LuellaQuade and Dorothy and MelvinFrantz; his uncle Rick Frantz;and cousins Joshua Alvar andIsaiah and Mason Alvar. Matt is survived by his wife,

Jennifer; daughters Kirsten(Austin Hansen) and Madeline;mother Linda Quade of Duluth;father Timothy Frantz (SharonField) of Duluth; mother- andfather-in-law, Lauralie and RickHeckman of Superior; siblingsJason and Dawn Frantz and Ericand Tammy Frantz, all of Du-luth, Adam and Tricia Frantz ofBlaine, Minn., April Williams(Dan Thomas) of Superior; Rod-di and Ryan Turgeson of Camer-on, Wis., Nathaniel and HeatherKhalar of Duluth and CaseyHeckman of Superior; niecesand nephews Molly, Tyler, Ian,Josslyn, Grace, Addie, Elizabeth,Hailie, Aiden, Aaron, Cashton,Michael, Meg, Miley, Destinyand Brianna; great-nephew Lu-

kas; and several cousins andmany other relatives and friends. Matts family would like tothank the Midway TownshipFirst Responders for doing ev-erything they could to help him. Visitation was held 4-7 p.m.with 6:30 p.m. wake prayers Fri-day in St. John's Church, 4230St. John's Ave., Duluth, wherevisitation continued from 10 un-til the 11 a.m. Mass of Christianburial Saturday. Military honorsby the Duluth Honor Guard andFire Honors followed. Memori-als are preferred and may be di-rected to Matts family for Kirst-en and Madelines education.Arrangements by Dougherty Fu-neral Home, (218) 727-3555.

Firefi ghters battlecold, blazeThe Wahpeton Fire Department responded to a blaze at the Bobcat

plant located on the 210 Bypass early Monday morning, Jan. 6, ac-cording to the Wahpeton Daily News.

According to Wahpeton Fire Chief Derek Miller, the fire was calledin at about 5:20 a.m. and was caused by a backup heating system. Thesystem uses propane tanks and had a technical error.

Miller said crews were on the scene for more than an hour,fighting tocontain the fire. He explained that two 1,000-gallon propane tanks wereonfire, but were a considerable distance from the plant. Firefighters hadto control the valves so no flames would spread through different lines.

Laura Ness Owens, director of communications, said both propanetanks were destroyed, but no damage occurred to the plant. There is nodollar estimate on the tank damage at this time, she said.

Operations did go as planned at the plant, Ness Owens said, as thefactory was up and running by 7 a.m.

No injuries were reported during the incident. Wahpeton and Breck-enridge Police Departments assisted the fire department by controllingtraffic.

(The Wheaton Gazette, January 14, 2014, Wheaton, MN.)


7/24


ee ees ishDeeDees Dish

Answers on page 20

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

3 (10 oz) cans condensed chicken broth

2 cups water

cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed

cup uncooked white rice

cup finely chopped green onions

cup margarine or butter

cup all-purpose flour

teaspoon salt

teaspoon poultry seasoning1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 cups half and half

1 cup cubed or shredded cooked chicken or turkey

8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

Instructions

In a large saucepan, combine chicken broth and water. Add riceand onions. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30-45

minutes (or until rice is tender). Once the rice is cooked, there will

be some additional broth do not drain.

In a medium saucepan, melt margarine, stir in flour, salt,

seasoning, and pepper. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until

smooth and bubbly.

Gradually stir in half and half with the butter/flour mixture and

cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Add this creamy

mixture back into the saucepan with the rice/broth. Add remaining

ingredients (chicken, bacon). Heat on low, stirring every once in a

while, for at least a half an hour. Do not boil. The mixture will look

thin, but the longer you heat the soup, the more the flavors merry

and the more it will thicken. This soup is best served after gently

heating for an extended period of time (even a few hours) or the

next day! For extra flavor, add more poultry seasoning and/or bacon.

ACROSS

1. Portable timepiece6. Doesnt guzzle10. Barbers job14. Accustom15. Length x width, for a rectangle16. Fit17. Line of latitude north of the

south pole (2 wds)20. Sartre novel21. Most paltry22. Grasp24. Sea waves breaking on a shore25. Appear28. Al dente

30. Genetically change34. Complain36. Amnion covering the head at

birth38. Coniferous trees39. List of chapters and where

they appear (3 wds)42. Untwist the strands of a rope43. Air44. Pink, as a steak45. Seeds of a pea plant47. Puts in stitches49. The J oy Luck Club author

50. Commoner52. Pro ___54. Check out clerks58. Opening move in chess62. Ready for battle (4 wds)64. Lowlife65. Georgetown athlete66. Counters67. ___ bag68. Barely managed, with out69. Narrow, thin, wood strips

backing plaster

DOWN

1. Withdraw gradually2. ___ and the King of Siam3. 1984 Peace Nobelist4. 2005 Best Picture nominee5. Concerning this6. Cal. col.7. Western blue flag, e.g.8. River to the Rio Grande9. Triangular bone at the base of

the spine10. More frugal11. Dash12. Misfortunes13. Convene

18. Cotton fabric19. Increase rapidly in number23. Preliminary outline25. Misbehave (2 wds)26. Construction site sight27. Small, Indian hand drum29. Slimy, protective secretion31. Small village in the Highland

area of Scotland32. Aquarium fish33. Big Berthas birthplace35. Speak irreverently of God37. St. Anthony, notably

40. Lens cover?41. Peaceful music for relaxation(2 wds)

46. Boil48. Pertaining to a particular state,

not the national government51. Tolerate53. Amorphous creature54. Actors55. Giovanna d___ (Verdi opera)56. Blue books?57. Eye affliction59. Doozy60. Allergic reaction

61. Get ___!63. Weve been ___!


8/24


Legislation Introduced Clarify-ing Volunteers not Subject toEmployer Mandate

On December 10, legislationwas introduced in the House byRepresentative Lou Barletta (R-PA) and the Senate by SenatorMark Warner (D-VA) clarifyingthat qualified emergency servic-

es volunteers will not be countedas employees under the PatientProtection and Affordable CareAct (PPACA). If enacted, theProtecting Volunteer Firefight-ers and Emergency RespondersAct (H.R. 3685/S. 1798) wouldmake clear that fire and EMSagencies will not be required tooffer volunteer personnel healthinsurance, even if they receiveother nominal benefits.

The Internal Revenue Service(IRS) considers volunteers whoreceive nominal benefits to becommon law employees of theagencies that they serve. The

Two major pieces of legislation introduced in CongressPPACA requires large employersto provide full-time employeeswith health insurance cover-age. Because it falls to the IRSto enforce the PPACA mandatethat employers provide healthinsurance, many fire and EMSdepartments could end up facingpenalties starting in 2015 if they

do not offer health insurancebenefits to their volunteers.In September, the NVFC sent

the IRS a letter requesting clari-fication in the final implementingregulations for the PPACA thatvolunteers will not be treated asemployees under the law. Sincethen, Representatives Peter King(R-NY), Patrick Meehan (R-PA),Rob Wittman (R-VA), ChrisCollins (R-NY), Bill Pascrell(D-NJ), Lou Barletta (R-PA),and Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) havefollowed up with similar formalletters to the IRS asking for clari-fication on behalf of the volunteer

emergency services. As of nowthe IRS has not indicated howit will proceed, which promptedthe introduction of H.R. 3685and S. 1798.

It is critically important thatfire and EMS agencies not beforced to offer health insurance tovolunteer personnel, said NVFC

Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg.Agencies dont have the re-sources to provide health benefitsto their volunteers and individualvolunteers have no expectation ofreceiving such benefits from theagencies they serve. Id like tothank all of the bill sponsors fromboth parties for coming togetherand introducing this legislation.

Co-sponsors of S. 1798 includeSenators Joe Manchin (D-WV),Patrick Toomey (R-PA), SusanCollins (R-ME), Angus King (I-ME), and Mark Begich (D-AK).H.R. 3685 is co-sponsored byRepresentatives Patrick Meehan(R-PA), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ),Jon Runyan (R-NJ), MichaelFitzpatrick (R-PA), Scott Perry(R-PA), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Leonard Lance (R-NJ),David P. Joyce (R-OH), MikeSimpson (R-ID), Jim Renacci(R-OH), Jim Gerlach (R-PA),Bill Huizenga (R-MI), MichaelGrimm (R-NY), Austin Scott(R-GA), Rodney Davis (R-IL),Richard Hanna (R-NY), DavidMcKinley (R-WV), Jackie Wal-orski (R-IN), Stephen Fincher(R-TN), Tom Cotton (R-AR),Bill Shuster (R-PA), Cory Gard-ner (R-CO), Joe Pitts (R-NY),Chris Collins (R-NY), SpencerBachus (R-AL), Walter Jones(R-NC), Andy Barr (R-KY),Kristi Noem (R-SD), Candice S.Miller (R-MI), Tom Marino (R-

PA), John Shimkus (R-IL), KeithRothfus (R-PA), Todd Young (R-IN), and Lynn Jenkins (R-KS).

The NVFC issued an ActionAlert on December 11, askingour members to contact theirRepresentative and Senators toask them to support H.R. 3685and S. 1798 using our Capwiz

system. More information willfollow when Congress returnsto session.

Volunteer Responder IncentiveProtection Reauthorization ActIntroduced

On December 12, Representa-tives John Larson (D-CT) and

Tom Latham (R-IA) introducedH.R. 3747, the Volunteer Re-sponder Incentive ProtectionReauthorization Act (VRIPRA),which would exempt from in-come taxation all property taxbenefits and up to $600 peryear other types of benefits thatvolunteer emergency respond-ers receive as a reward for theirservice. Representatives EarlBlumenauer (D-OR), Joe Court-ney (D-CT), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Elizabeth Etsy (D-CT), JimGerlach (R-PA), Bill Johnson(R-OH), Ron Kind (D-WI), PeterKing (R-NY), David Loesback(D-IA), Mike McIntyre (D-NC),Michael Michaud (D-ME), JamesMoran (D-VA), Thomas Petri (R-WI), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), andPaul Tonko (D-NY) also signedonto H.R. 3747 as original co-sponsors.

There is no greater challengefacing the volunteer emergencyservices today than recruitmentand retention, said NVFC Chair-man Philip C. Stittleburg. TheVolunteer Responder IncentiveProtection Reauthorization Actwill give local agencies andgovernments much-needed flex-ibility to implement incentiveprograms that work for theircommunity. On behalf of thenations volunteer emergencyresponse community Id liketo thank the sponsors and co-

sponsors of this critical piece oflegislation for their support.

According to the U.S. FireDepartment Pro fi le Th rough2012, a report published by theNational Fire Protection As-sociation (NFPA), there are ap-proximately 780,000 volunteerfirefighters serving in 28,000 fire

departments across the country,including 20,000 fire depart-ments staffed by volunteersonly. Another NFPA report esti-mated that the value of the timedonated by volunteer firefightersin the United States is approxi-mately $140 billion.

Unfortunately, fire depart-

ments are finding it increasinglydifficult to recruit and retain thenext generation of volunteers.Increased training and certifica-tion requirements have madevolunteer emergency response anextraordinarily time-consumingactivity, even as a variety ofshifting societal factors haveleft fewer young people withless free time available in com-munities traditionally served byvolunteers. The NFPAs annualFire Department Profile reportsshow a 16.4 percent drop in thenumber of firefighters under theage of 40 serving in communitiesof 2,500 or fewer residents since2000. Overall, there are 44,000fewer volunteer firefighters in theUnited States than there were justfive years ago.

In order to bolster recruitmentand retention, many volunteerfire and EMS agencies now pro-vide financial and non-monetaryincentives. These benefits caninclude uniforms, annual awardsceremonies, reduced propertytaxes, and other incentives thatcost little but demonstrate thecommunitys support for thevolunteer firefighter. Even mod-est rewards show volunteers thattheir service is valued by thecommunity.

Federal taxation reduces theincentive value of volunteer ben-efits and creates a hardship on the

jurisdictions that provide them.VRIPRA reduces the burden-some impact of federal taxationof volunteer benefits, enablinglocal agencies and governmentsto implement recruitment andretention strategies that work fortheir communities.

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Minnesota Firefighter

Mail form and payment to:

MSFDA

28711 Holly Drive NW

Isanti, MN 55040

Name:________________________________ Dept:________________________________

Address:____________________________________________________________________

City:_________________________________ State:_______________ ZIP:_____________

Email Address:_______________________________________________________________


9/24


10/24


REPORTS FROM YOUR MSFDA OFFICERSMSFDA OFFICER DIRECTORY

Region 1 Capitol City

Judy Till8150 Barbara Ave.,

Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077W: 651-450-2495C: 651-308-6438

Email: [email protected]

Region 2 Northern

Jim Aagenes513 7thStreet NE

Fosston, MN 56542H: 218-435-6027C: 218-280-9447W: 218-435-1133


Region 3 Arrowhead

Rex Lentner2603 Co. Rd. 444

Hibbing, MN 55746H: 218-263-3800


Region 4 Northwest

Del Bellanger1501 235th Street

Mahnomen, MN 56557C: 218-850-8143

W: 218-935-2701, Ext. 7228Email: [email protected]

Region 5 Cuyuna

Dale Borgstrom34297 70thAve

Cushing, MN 56443H: 218-746-3823C: 320-630-9190


Region 6 Lake

Dave Yurczyk38345 Co. Rd. 9

Avon, MN 56310C: 320-761-2087


Region 7 St. Croix ValleyDave Matchinsky1255 10th Ave. SE

Cambridge, MN 55008C: 763-286-8004


Region 8 North Suburban

Mark Rosenblum6325 Olympia Street

Golden Valley, MN 55427H: 763-541-9920W: 952-992-3122

C: 612-597-2096Email: [email protected]

Region 9 West Central

Charles Savoie, Jr.200 4th Ave. West, Box 161

Hanley Falls, MN 56245H: 507-768-3625


Region 10 Central

Ron Kelm220 5th Ave. N.

Brownton, MN 55312H: 320-328-5270C: 320-510-1211


Region 11 United Fire Fighters

Dave Eisinger5785 W. Main Street

Maple Plain, MN 55359H: 763-479-2732W: 612-670-4140


Region 12 Minnesota Valley

John KingP.O. Box 44

LeSueur, MN 56058H: 507-665-2256C: 612-756-4590


Region 13 Southwest

Darrell Crumrine320 2nd St E

Balaton, MN 56115H: 507-743-6403C: 507-828-9621


Region 14 South Central

Ed Hoffman

11 Aspen CourtNorth Mankato, MN 56003

H: 612-208-3473C: 507-380-0619


Region 15 SoutheasternPaul Corcoran

PO Box 157Rusford, MN 55971

H: 507-459-6793Email: [email protected]

MN State Fire Marshal

Bruce West445 Minnesota St., Suite 145

St. Paul, MN 55101-5145W: 651-201-7201

Fax: 651-238-9292


Shane Schmidt, President

We have come a long waysince 1873 and as we enter our141styear, we are looking to ourmembership for new, fresh ideasand firefighters that would like toget involved with one of the oldest

fire organizations in Minnesota.

Mark Rosenblum, Vice President

The fire service in Minnesota isgoing through a great deal of changeright now with a new State FireMarshall, a subsequent new MBFTEcoordinator and even thresholds beingraised for relief association audits.

President Shane SchmidtPO Box 876

Alexandria, MN 56308

H: 320-763-5474 C: 320-760-1991 Email: [email protected]

Vice President Mark Rosenblum6325 Olympia Street

GoldenValley, MN 55427

H: 763-541-9920 W: 952-992-3122 C: 612-597-2096


Treasurer Tony Bronk4990 - 149th Street N. #4

Hugo, MN 55038

C: 651-208-9309 W: 651-281-3457


Secretary Ed Hoffman11 Aspen Court

North Mankato, MN 56003

H: 612-208-3473 C: 507-380-0619 Email: [email protected]

Executive Administrator DeeDee Jankovich28711 Holly Drive NW

Isanti, MN 55040

C: 763-221-9329 Email: [email protected]

Happy New Year!As we begin 2014, I would

like to share with you somebackground on the MinnesotaState Fire Department Association(MSFDA). Our association wasorganized in 1873 and through-out the past 140 years, we havecreated policies, set up commit-tees, held conferences, and beeninvolved in countless, signicantand historical events throughoutour great State of Minnesota. Weall know there have been organi-zations that have come and goneand some that are here to stay. Iwant to assure you the MSFDAis here to stay. The MSFDArepresents all fire departmentsand reghters, whether you arevolunteer, paid-on-call, or paid,we are here for you.

Three years ago, we hiredDeeDee as MSFDAs part timeExecutive Administrator andour goal is to transition her tofull time so we can continue tohave representation at most or all

events to keep us on the cuttingedge of firefighter issues. Wecontinue to increase membershipand member benets. Thank all of

you for your continued support! Ifyou are not currently a member,please visit our website to nd outhow to join.

Our forefathers have set thegroundwork for us and we con-tinue to build to be a great organi-zation. We have come a long waysince 1873 and as we enter our141styear, we are looking to ourmembership for new, fresh ideasand reghters that would like toget involved with one of the oldestre organizations in Minnesota.Elections of ofcers at the nextconference will be President and

Treasurer. You must le a letter ofintent 45 days prior to the start ofthe Annual Conference in June tobe on the ballot. Please consider

running.

Conference and Meeting dates:

MSFDA Winter Board Meetingin St. Cloud

January 18, 2014MSFDA Conference in

OwatonnaJune 12-14, 2014

God Bless.

Shane Schmidt,President

How Good and Pleasant it iswhen Brothers live together inunity. Psalm 133:1

Happy New Year MinnesotaFirefighters,

I hope you all have made itthrough the holidays and are onto surviving winters chill.I dont remember a time in mylife where there has been somuch change occurring all at thesame time. Im not sure if this isa result of the amazing speed atwhich information and technol-ogy improve right now, if there issomething else that is driving thiscommotion or if it is many factors.

The re service in Minnesotais going through a great deal ofchange right now with a newState Fire Marshall, a subsequentnew MBFTE coordinator andeven thresholds being raised for

relief association audits. Manychiefs are retiring following longtenures and there is a lot of changethat is resulting in the backll of

their jobs.

The simple fact is that times,they are a changing as Bob Dylanonce said. Much time and energyhas been put into making, accept-ing, dealing with and living withchange, I think we can all agree onthis. Can we all agree that withrapid change comes a sense ofdiscomfort? How do we absorbor manage that discomfort?

I recently read an article byLaurie Maddelena where shequoted a study as follows:

A ve-year study of 97 active,productive people over 100 yearsof age conducted by Dr. LeonardPoon of the University of Georgiafound that there are four commoncharacteristics that influence

resilience: Optimism: They had a posi-tive view of the past and futureand were not dominated by worry

or negativity. Engagement: They were ac-

tively involved in life, they werenot passive observers.

Mobility: They stayed activephysically.

Adaptability to Loss: Theyhad an extraordinary ability tostay balanced by adapting to andaccepting change and loss.

In summary, Maddelenamade the following observation:Change is here to stay. We cantalways control the circumstances,but what we can control is our per-spective about change. The nexttime you are faced with any typeof change, challenge yourself tothink through some different per-spectives then choose one that willhelp you productively manage thechange. As Henry David Thoreausaid, Things do not change; wechange.

Obviously, we cant be ght-ing fires as 100 year olds, butwe can learn from our elders andlearn from their resilience. Askyourself, How do I deal withchange?

Sincerely,Mark Rosenblum,MSFDA Vice-President

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Name:________________________________________ Fire Dept:_________________________________

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Mail in this form to MSFDA, 28711 Holly Drive NW, Isanti, MN 55040

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11/24


REPORTS FROM YOUR MSFDA OFFICERS

Tony Bronk, Treasurer

The membership of theMSFDA is department based,meaning that each firefighterfrom the Chief to the rookieholds membership in theMSFDA.

DeeDee Jankovich, Executive Administrator

All 784 fire departments inMinnesota will soon be receivingregistration materials for the 139thAnnual MSFDA Conference, whichwill be held in Owatonna on June12-14, 2014.

Greetings fellow reghters,I hope that your 2013 was

one to remember and 2014 is offto a great start for you and yourfamily. 2013 was a great year forthe MSFDA. We nished the yearwith record number membership,which speaks volumes to thework the MSFDA is doing onbehalf of you, the reghter. Bythe time this edition hits yourhands, the MSFDA ExecutiveBoard will have held their annualwinter meeting with the MSFCAExecutive Board. It is the goal ofthese meetings to work together

on common issues as they relate

to the re service as a whole.While each Association has itsown direction and makeup ofmembership, there is alwayscommon ground for us to work onand this year will be no different.

Its been asked of me over thecourse of the last few years, whatis the difference in the MSFCAand the MSFDA. While bothAssociations work togetheron numerous issues, such aslegislation, Fire Service Day at theCapitol or special projects such asthe Fallen Fireghter Memorial,there are still items in which each

association focuses on. During the

2013 calendar year, the MSFDAtook a focus on providing benetsto the reghters around the state,regardless of rank or title. We haveadded many discounts to manyplaces and organizations withinMinnesota and elsewhere. This isin part to the never ending workof DeeDee Jankovich, MSFDA

Executive Administrator, who istirelessly working to add moreitems every day.

The membership of the MSFDAis department based, meaning thateach reghter from the Chiefto the rookie holds membershipin the MSFDA. We are a singlefee based organization whichis based on a citys population,again covering all members ofyour department. We are the onlyorganization by Minnesota lawthat allows your relief associationto pay for your membership fees.We hold numerous positionson Governor appointed boards,to ensure that the voice of thereghter is being heard. We are

currently looking to add some

form of AD&D insurance tothe membership in the future.We have started publishing thisofcial newspaper, which isavailable to any person in thestate that would like to receiveit. We have maintained our costsof the annual conference for over5 years and after 8 years, we

just implemented a small duesincrease which will be put forthinto membership benets. Manyof the current benets we offer,can be found on our website atwww.msfda.org.

While each association mayhave their own direction they wishto go, it has always been an honorand privilege to work with theexecutive board of the MSFCA.While we may not always agreeon everything, we learn to put our

personal differences aside andwork together for the bettermentof the re service as a whole.During my time on the MSFDAboard, we have made a lot ofprogress, and this is in part to the

leadership of both organizations.

I look forward to working withnewly installed MSFCA PresidentBill Mund as we continue tomove the re service forward inMinnesota.

As we begin the 2014 calendaryear, we welcome aboard our newState Fire Marshal Bruce West.I have had the honor of working

with Bruce for many years andbelieve he will do a great jobwith steering the re service inMinnesota.

In closing, I wish you all asafe 2014 and look forward toseeing many of you at the annualconference in Owatonna, thisJune. Look for the packet toarrive at your station soon andbook your rooms early. This yearwe are offering extended trainingprograms and have added manyother new and exciting adventuresto the 2014 MSFDA conference.Hope to see you there.

Tony BronkMSFDA Treasurer

Hello Minnesota FirefghtersubscribersJ

First off, thank you to all thereghters and their familieswho responded to the ExcelEnergy Center to watch JoshHarding and the boys take it tothe St. Jose Sharks on December8th . The Fireghter Night at theMN Wild was a success! Themission of the event was not toraise funds, or to accomplishanything more than offeringyou Wild Fans an opportunity to

purchase a reduced rate ticket andto enjoy a game amongst what

ended up being 400 fellow remen, women and their families.

Seeing the large turnout was funand next year weve got somenew ideas to run by our eventpartners, the MPFF and MSFCAto make it even better.

All 784 re departmentsin Minnesota will soon bereceiving registration materialsfor the 139th Annual MSFDAConference, which will beheld in Owatonna on June12-14, 2014. The conferencecommittee has been workinghard to plan days lled with avariety of training, exhibits andentertainment. Included in thepacket this year is an AwardNomination Form. Please

take a moment and ll one outfor someone in your departmentthat has made a difference, and

deserves recognition for theirefforts and/or achievements.Our goal at the MSFDA isto support all Minnesotareghters and I know there aresome humble, hardworking guysand gals out there that are verymuch deserving these awards.My goal is to nd you, and shareyour/their accomplishments witheveryone. The re service isvery much a lead by exampleindustry and together, we can allaccomplish our goals.

The Minnesota ProfessionalFire Fighters, Minnesota FireChiefs Association, and theMinnesota Fire DepartmentAssociations Annual LegislativeConference (MN Fire Service

Day at the Capitol) is scheduledfor Wednesday, March 12, 2014.Please make every effort toattend. Registration begins at7:00 am with a speaker programat 7:45 am and appointmentswith legislators will begin at9:00 am. The registration andmeeting is at The Labor andProfessional Centre, 411 MainSt. St. Paul, 55102 with freeparking, continental breakfast,and shuttles running to theCapitol. Visit our websiteat www.msfda.org for moreinformation and the registrationform. I believe our legislativeefforts are greatly supportedat this event. Getting in frontof our lawmakers and visitingabout important issues 1 on 1 isa great tool often overlooked inour fast paced world we live innow.

We are still receivingsubscriptions on a daily basisfor the Minnesota FirefghterNewspaper. We now haveclose to 2600 subscribers! Ineach edition of the newspaperwe include a drawing for agiveaway. Last month we gaveaway a Cabelas gift card. Thiseditions drawing is for a GrandCasino Hinckley getaway. Youcan enter to win online or bymailing the form in from thispaper. These drawings are hostedby MSFDA only. Entering adrawing will not result in you

receiving calls, emails or offersfrom the vendor directly. Ifyou know someone who hasntreceived a subscription to ourofcial publication yet, directthem to our website for moreinformation. For $7.00 per year,Im condent everyone will ndsome value in it.

Lastly, several positionsamongst the MSFDA board stillexist if you or someone youknow are looking for an excitingnew challenge. As we all know,recruitment and retention issomething every re departmentfaces as a challenge. TheMSFDA board is hoping to bringon some new members of our

own to ll some vacancies andbring some new ideas to the reservice to keep our membershipsand their departments invitingand fresh. The mission ofthe MSFDA is to initiate andmaintain an active participationin all aspects of the re serviceincluding training, education,re prevention, scholarships,law and legislative action,service and special awards, andbenets for it s members.

Feel free to contact me anytime if you have any questionsabout the MSFDA or any ofour benets. Be safe out thereeveryone and I wish you all thebest in the year to come.

DeeDee JankovichMSFDA Executive

[email protected]

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12/24


Bruce West,

MN State Fire Marshal

When Jerry announced his

retirement a few months ago,

my wife and I talked about the

opportunity that existed, and I

decided to apply for the job.

REPORTS FROM THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL DIVISION

Change, Change, ChangeA couple of years ago, I wrote

an article about the only thing inlife thats constant change. NowIm talking about change again,because changes are happening atthe State Fire Marshal Division(SFMD) and the Minnesota Ofceof Pipeline Safety (MNOPS), andits starting at the top.SFM Jerry Rosendahl

Jerry Rosendahl, State FireMarshal for more than 10 years,retired Dec. 3 to spend moretime with his wife Jackie, hisdaughters, grandchildren andhis woodworking hobby. I wishJerry and Jackie a happy, healthyretirement and lots of good timesat home in Hastings, and in theirLake Havasu, Arizona home.Commissioner Dohman

When Jerry announced hisretirement a few months ago,my wife and I talked about theopportunity that existed, andI decided to apply for the job.As the process unfolded, I washonored to be appointed State Fire

Marshal. I thank CommissionerDohman for her condence in me,and Im proud and excited to leadthe SFMD and MNOPS into thefuture.My Background

I started my re service careerin 1978 as a paid-on-call reghterfor the Anoka-Champlin FD.Founded in 1869, Anoka-Champlin is like many Minnesotadepartments rich in history andtradition. Over the years, I becamea full-time member and migratedup through the ranks.

In 1994 I was appointedFire Chief and EmergencyManagement Director in theCity of Elk River. It was a greatopportunity for me to lead anotherwell-established organizationjust up the road from where mycareer began. Over my 15-yeartenure, Elk Rivers populationincreased from 10,200 to 23,000 a major challenge for the cityand for the FD requiring us tohire additional reghters andbuild a second station on the west

side of town. That rapid expansionand my other experiences in ElkRiver took me into the realm ofpolitics, budgets and personnelmanagement that are relevant in amuch larger venue.

I have a real passion for there service, and over the years,Ive put it to work as a boardmember, Vice President (2004-

2005) and President (2006-2007)in the Minnesota State FireChiefs Association (MSFCA).Our statewide re-serviceorganizations work hard for all20,700 reghters in Minnesota,and Elk River Fire Departmentsmembership in the MinnesotaState Fire Department Associationprovided training and networkingopportunities with reghtersfrom around the state.State Fire Marshal Division

SFMD staff members are adedicated group of people whowork side-by-side with there service every day on codequestions, re-and-life safetyeducation, youth resetting

prevention and intervention,re investigation, conductinginspections in school, healthcare, jail and prison facilities, andcollecting data from 99.5 percentof our 785 re departments. Our56 staff members are dedicated tothe safety of Minnesota reghtersand citizens alike.

Several SFMD retirements arecoming up, starting in January withRick Kleis and Clint Halvorson.Kleis started with SFMD in 1993and became chief investigator in2000. Halvorson came to us in1990 as a school inspector and

served Northwestern Minnesotafor many years. Their colleaguesand those they serve will miss theexpertise, dedication and passioneach man brought to this job. Iwish both Rick and Clint long,happy, healthy retirements.Minnesota Ofce of PipelineSafety (MNOPS)

The Minnesota State Fire

Marshal also wears the directorshat for the Ofce of Pipeline Safety.MNOPS staff is co-located withthe SFMD staff in St. Paul. One ofmy goals as Director of MNOPSis to give our activities and staff ahigher public prole in Minnesota.MNOPS 18 staff members focuson pipeline damage prevention,large operator inspections andLPG/small operator interstateinspections. Jon Wolfgram,MNOPS Chief Engineer, runs day-to-day operations.SFMD and MNOPS Goals andPriorities

Each article I write will highlightmy SFMD and MNOPS prioritiesand goals over the next few years starting with MNOPS.

You may have attendedpast Community Awarenessand Emergency Response(CAER) meetings sponsoredby the pipeline industry to raiseawareness of pipeline safety. Ihope to increase attendance andexpose more re service membersto this issue. I also plan to build onthe positive response received bythe Minnesota Board of FireghterTraining and Education (MBFTE)on statewide Mass and GrossDecon and Incident SafetyOfcer training.

My goal is to develop 2-to-3 hours of pipeline awarenesstraining, in partnership withMNOPS staff, Minnesota PipelineCAER and Minnesota pipelinecompanies, to be presented toour 785 re departments withinve years. The training will bebrought to your station free ofcharge. Your reghters will learn

about underground facilities inyour community, your mutual-aidarea and the region, and how toprepare for a pipeline emergency.Ill provide updates as the programdevelops.Minnesota Board of FireghterTraining and Education(MBFTE)

The MBFTE is in the processof lling the Executive Directorposition Im vacating. The plan isto name a replacement by February1, 2014. Stay tuned.Conclusion

It is very important to me thatboth SFMD and MNOPS staffmembers be accessible to our reservice. We invite your questions,comments and input into what wecan do to help you. The transitionfrom Executive Director of theMBFTE has been a hectic one, butI am deeply honored and hopefulas I take on this new responsibility.

I hope everyone enjoyed asafe and happy holiday seasonwith friends, families and reservice colleagues. I value yourcomments, so feel free to contactme at [email protected], atmy ofce (651-201-7201) or bycell phone (651-238-9292.)

Bruce West,State Fire Marshal

A New Beginning: State Fire Marshal Bruce WestPassionate About the Fire Service, Optimistic About the Future


13/24


By C.A. Ray, EditorGrant County Herald

A Wendell landmark, Valley

Woods, was completely destroyedby fire Saturday afternoon, de-spite the efforts of ten area firedepartments. Although ValleyWoods owner David Jensen andhis brother Daryl were workingin the furniture and cabinet shopwhen the fire broke out, they gotout safely.

The Grant County SheriffsOffice received a 911 call report-ing the fire at approximately 2:06p.m. Saturday, November 30. TheWendell Fire Department was dis-patched to the scene, along withthe Grant County Sheriffs Of-fice. Eventually fire departmentsfrom Elbow Lake, Ashby, Barrett,Hoffman, Herman, Fergus Falls,Dalton, Tintah, and Fairmount,

ND were called for assistance ina successful effort to stop the firefrom spreading to a storage shedeast of the building, and DonsBody Shop and Beckmans Ser-vice gas to the west.

The fire started when a sparkfrom a grinder ignited some ma-

Valley Woods lost to fi reTen fire departments battle

Wendell fire.

terials, then spread. It was fueledby wood scraps, wood products,and wood finishes.

Two pumper trucks were set upeast of town at the Mustinka Riverwhere they pumped water intotanker trucks, which were thenbrought into town to supplementthe water supply from the Wendellwater tower. The Fergus FallsFire Department had their laddertrucks on the scene and they wereused to put firefighters above thefire, helping to contain it. ValleyWoods was nothing but a pile ofashes by morning.

The building was built around1916 as a warehouse for an imple-ment dealer, in 1920 it becameAamot Implement, a farm equip-ment dealer, according to RoyRandall, longtime employee ofAamot Implement. In 1995 Aamot

Implement closed with an auctionon February 14. On February25th, the original Valley Woodsburned down. That building, aformer lumberyard, was alsocompletely destroyed, and Val-ley Woods moved into the vacantAamot building.

It is sadly ironic to have to gothrough this twice in the last 20years, said Wendell Fire ChiefChad Biss.

Valley Woods employed threeto five part time employees. Davidsaid he hopes to be able to usethe storage shed to the east ofthe building to get Valley Woodsoperating again.

Most of the big equipment isin that building, so it would workout, he said, adding that all hishand tools, and a skid loader weredestroyed.

I had just driven the skidloaderinto the shop an hour before.

Brother Daryls Jensen Build-ers office was also located in theValley Woods building, so theJensens would have to add someoffice space.

Im at the mercy of the insur-ance people now, David said,adding that Valley Woods wasvery busy, with special orders oncabinets that would keep his em-ployees working for a solid year.

The chances of me quitting areslim to none.

A Wendell landmark, Val-ley Woods, was completely

destroyed by fire on Nov. 30despite the efforts of 10 fire

departments. Photo by ChrisRay, Grant County Herald.

Above: Wendell firefighters bring hoses to the fire. Below:A foam fire retardant was sprayed between Valley Woodsand the building to the west in a successful attempt to stopthe fire from spreading. Photos by Chris Ray, Grant CountyHerald.

Fire crews bring more hoses into thefight. Photo by Chris Ray, Grant CountyHerald.

Water is sprayed on top of Val-ley Woods. Fire departments fromWendell, Elbow Lake, Ashby,Barrett, Hoffman, Herman,Fregus Falls, Dalton, Tintah and

Fairmont, ND, battled the fire andwere able to keep it from spread-ing to buildings on either side.Photo by Chris Ray, Grant CountyHerald.


14/24


lexandria FireAlexandria FireDepartmentDepartment

Preserving the PastPreserving the PastProtecting the utureProtecting the Future

The history of The Alex-andria Volunteer Fire Depart-

ment is probably very similarto other departments in thefrontier Midwest in the late

1800s. Unfriendly, uncon-trolled fires were recognizedas the enemy of the entire

settlement. Everyone able torespond to a fire call did soin those days. While larger

eastern cities had organizedfire companies sponsoredby insurance companies, the

frontier towns had to protectthemselves without muchequipment and volunteer

manpower. As the villagegrew and developed, the citi-

zens knew thatfi

re protectionwas a service that would soonbecome a necessity for themunicipality.

Alexandria newspaper ac-counts from March 15, 1880indicate that the village au-thorities held a fire meeting.

The council was requested topurchase the necessary outfitto properly equip a hook and

ladder company. On Novem-ber 26, 1880, the DouglasCounty jail which was just

under construction and com-

pletely burned. The Con-gregational Church bell was

used to alert the firemen of

the alarm. About a year later,in April of 1881, the hook andladder truck arrived at a costof $500. Two years later, in

August of 1883, two chemi-

cal engines arrived fromChicago. The village coun-

cil decided to store the fireequipment at Seventh and F(Fillmore) which was a con-

venient central place for thepublic library and fire appara-tus. Now the village saw the

need for organized manpowerto operate the three pieces ofequipment they had. On Oc-

tober 18, 1883, a fire meetingwas held at the Court Housewhere it was agreed to form

three companies, ChemicalNo. 1, Chemical No. 2, andHook and Ladder. Mr. P. Ar-

nott was elected fire marshal,the first fire chief. One weeklater the Village Council ad-

opted Ordinance No. 22 - FireDepartment. The Departmentwas to be made up of three

companies of not less than tenor more than thirty members.The men had to be within the

ages of 18 and 50 to join.It appears that one of the

first things the new fire de-

partment did was organizethe first annual Firemans Ballfor it was held on December

26, 1883, at Cowings OperaHouse (which burned downa few yearslater.) This

has been

a popularfundraiser

for the de-p a r t m e n tthroughout

the years.On May

8, 1884 the

new firebell wasplaced into

operationon the townhall where it

could be heard several milesout in the country.In 1887, four years after the

department began operations;it hosted the State FiremensConvention.

Alexandria Fire Deptagain hosted the 1910, 1941,1956, 1969, 1981, 1989,

1999, 2003, 2008 and 2012.Alexandria will be hosting the2018 MSFDA Conference, so

come join the fun.In 1895 the Village Coun-

cil considered the possibility

of securing a paid fire com-pany; however, this was notto be as the department has

1883 Alexandria Fire Department

remained a volunteer depart-ment throughout the years.

The first real big fire oc-curred in 1888 when the Rail-

road Hotel burned on MainStreet. Babcock extinguisherswere used and a bucket bri-

gade was formed. By 1895, the competitionbetween the three companies

had grown very keen. Theyeach had 30 members for to-tal department strength of 90

men. They held races, waterfights, base-ball games

and tug-of-wars witheach other,

often on ac h a l l e n g ebasis.

In 1905,the Alex-andria Vol-

unteer FireDepartmentRelief Asso-

ciation (forour retire-

ment and sick

allowance) was duly incor-porated and its constitutionand bylaws were adopted.

AFD Original Fire Bell

1910 MSFDA Convention-Alexandria

Excerpts of minutes from

meetings held in 1907 reveal

that the firemen discussed theproblem of too many firemen

and outsiders riding on the firerigs. The weight of the extrariders slowed down the team

of horses used to get to the firescene.

In 1912, the whistle at the

light plant was used as thefire alarm. The new firemensquarters in city hall were com-

pleted in 1913 and used for50 years when the buildingwas demolished and the new

structure built in 1963. In1994, a new fire station wasbuilt at 302 Fillmore housing

the current up-to-date equip-ment.

In 1918 we received the

new automobile fire truck,a 1917 American LaFrancechain drive, at a cost of

$6,700. The Relief Associa-tion financed it until such timeas the City was able to pay for

it. This truck served the vil-lage well and was finally re-tired as a parade piece and is

now on display in the museumat Fire Station


15/24


In 1920 all three com-

panies consolidated into theAlexandria Fire Department.The manpower needs werereduced as modern equip-

ment was purchased. We havegone from a maximum of 90men during the hand oper-

ated, horse drawn days of 3rigs to the present day wherewe have 10 vehicles manned

by a 30 member department. In 1975 we received an85 foot aerial platform and

pumper truck snorkel at acost of $165,000 which dra-matizes the increase in cost

from 40 years ago. In 2007,the department purchaseda 1999, 100 ladder truck

to replace the snorkel for$430,000.

In 1921 the Relief As-sociation bought seven acres

of land with over 400 feet oflakeshore on Lake Latoka for$120 per acre. They later paid

$30 for small parcel adjoiningthis property. The firemenconstructed a large cabin nowreferred to as the Lodge

and five smaller cabins on

the property for the use of themembers in lieu of receiving

pay for their services as fire-men. This attractive propertyis a landmark on the lake.

In 1924 the city paid $450for a 5 horsepower alarm sirento be used as a replacement

for the whistle at the lightplant. Since then, a telephonesystem, and now a radio sys-

tem replaced the siren to alertthe members when needed.

In present time the 30

member all volunteer dept

covers 136 sq. miles with themost up to date equipment

and respond to an average of220 fire and rescue calls peryear with an in route response

time average of 3 minutes.Each member must main-tain a 70% call percentage

throughout the year. The deptholds trainings and dept meet-ings every Monday and every

member must attend 12 hoursout of the department trainingannually.

Past Alexandria Fire Chief

Shane Schmidt now serves asPresident of the MinnesotaState Fire Department Asso-

First motorized truck 1917 American LaFrance.

100 ft Aerial Truck

ciation. Other members of thedepartment are actively serve

on boards and committees onthe county, regional and statelevels. Members also attend

Fire Service Day at the Capi-tol, MSFDA, MSFCA andother school and conferences

state wide. Our Honor Guardparticipated in the dedicationof the Fire Fighter Memorial

on the State Capitol Groundsand honoring those that paidthe ultimate sacrifice, it was a

great honor those guys.

The Alexandria Explore Post400 has been very successful

competing at the GovernorsFire Prevention Day duringthe Minnesota State Fair. Thepost members participate in

regular dept trainings to gainknowledge of the fire service.This has been a great addi-

tion to the fire dept as you cansee the growth and respect ofthese young youth gain by be-

ing involved.

Alex Fire in 2003 with Budweiser Clydesdales.

Alexandria Fire Department 2012

Right: Explorer Post 2013

at Minnesota State Fair

In the Fall of 2007 a Alex-

andria Firefighters Memorialwas constructed and dedicat-ed to ALL firefight-

ers that have been onthe fire departmentsince 1883 ( approx.

500 names) Alexandria ishonored to be host-

ing the 2018 MSF-DA Conference.

Hope to see youthere!

AFD Fire Station

Alexandria Firefighters Memorial.


16/24


Your Full Line Equipmentand Service Provider

Explosion and fire damage LandOLakes Plant in Browerville

Left: On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, at approximately 4:35 p.m., theTodd County Sheriffs Office was called to an explosion at the LandOLakes plant in Browerville. A piece of equipment exploded, causing afire that eventually spread to equipment on the roof of the building. TheBrowerville Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Staples,

Clarissa and Long Prairie Fire Departments. Firefighters were on thescene until 11:30 p.m.Below: A member of the Browerville Fire Department received minor

burns and was transported to the Long Prairie Hospital by private vehicleat a fire at the Land OLakes plant on Thanksgiving Day. Earlier that sameday, the Browerville Fire Department had been called out at 2:27 p.m. tothe Todd County Transfer Station. The transfer station had noticed one oftheir compost piles was on fire. It is unknown what had started the fire. Thefire department was on that scene for approximately 45 minutes.

Photos by Ray Benning, Independent News Herald.


17/24


Mapleview Fire conducted a controlled burn at the Mower County Fair grandstand.

A man went to the hospitalThursday afternoon after thebasement of his home caught fire.

Alden firefighters were joinedby firefighters from Conger, Al-bert Lea Township, Manchesterand Freeborn to fight a fire at thehome of Jason R. Kach, 69952

County Road 46, at that roadsArmstrong corner.The call for the fire went out

at about 12:45 p.m. Alden Fire

House fi re mainly in basementMan sent to hospital for breathing smoke

Chief Jim Thunstedt said the lastunit left the home at 4:15 p.m.The state fire marshal was on thescene to investigate the cause.The fire chief said the cause re-mains under investigation.

He said firefighters first entered

the home through the garage,then sought to break down thefront door to vent the smoke.

The house appears to be about

40 percent damaged, Thunstedtsaid, mostly in the basement. Hesaid some floor joists under thekitchen are burned, so it will beup to the insurance company todetermine whether the structureis salvageable.

He said Kach was transported

by ambulance to Mayo ClinicHealth System in Albert Lea forsmoke inhalation.

The hospital reported Kach

was treated and released Thurs-day.

The firefighters did not strug-gle with freezing water, thoughif the temperature had been 10degrees cooler, they would have.The air temperature in Albert Leaat 1:15 p.m. was 21 degrees, with

at 14 mph northeast wind. Thewind chill was 8 degrees.Thunstedt said tanker trucks

drove to Alden and to the Lake

Chapeau Drive corner in AlbertLea to fill up with water at firehydrants.

Deputies with the FreebornCounty Sheriffs Office handledtraffic control. The home is at thecorner of County Road 46 andCounty Road 14.

(Tim Engstrom, Albert LeaTribune, Albert Lea, MN, Friday,

Dec. 20, 2013)


18/24


Firefighters clothing was crusted with ice and frost afterbattling the blaze in frigid temperatures. Photo by Joni As-trup of the Elk River Star News.

Two people working inside were able to get out safely when fire broke out inside ValleyWoods in Wendell on Nov. 30. Photo by Chris Ray, Grant County Herald.

SHOWCASE YOUR DEPARTMENT

Please complete this form and your department will be featured in an upcoming issue of the Minnesota Firefighter Newspaper.

Submit ter s Name: _________________________________________________________ Submit ter s Phone Number:_____________________________

Depart ment Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Year Dept was Establ ished:____________________

Member Information:

Full Time__________ Volunteer_________ Paid-on-Call__________ Total___________

Call s per Year:

Fire__________ Rescue/Extrication__________ Medical__________ Total_____________

Apparatus:

Pumpers________ Tankers_________ Rescue__________ Ambulance ________ Ladder __________ Grass__________

Other (specify) ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Other interesting information:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mail or email completed form to: MSFDA, 28711 Holly Drive NW, Isanti, MN 55040

Email photo and list of names as they appear in photo to: [email protected]

SAVE THE DATE!

FireServiceDay at theCapitolis scheduled for March12, 2014.

Pleasemark your calendars and plan

onattending. Moredetails will beonour websiteat www.msfda.org

as they becomeavailable.


19/24


By Joni AstrupElk River Star News

About 40 people were displacedafter a fire raced through an ElkRiver apartment building Thurs-day morning.

Fire Chief T. John Cunningham

said crews were called to the Ev-ans Meadows apartment complexat around 6:30 a.m.

When they arrived, they dis-covered heavy fire on the back(west) side of one of the apartmentbuildings, Cunningham said at apress briefing the morning of thefire. Due to the wind and the ex-treme weather today, it did carrythe fire throughout the buildingquite rapidly, he said.

The building is located at 365Evans Ave.

Everyone got out safely.Fifteen of the 16 apartments

in the building were rented out,according to Police Chief BradRolfe.

Residents were evacuated toGuardian Angels at 350 EvansAve. and to St. Andrews CatholicChurch at 566 Fourth St., he said.

Later in the day, Elk RiverPolice Capt. Bob Kluntz said ev-eryone had a place to stay.

Justin Araskog, who lives in theapartment building next door, saidhe woke up about 6:30 a.m. andheard tons of sirens.

By the time he got up and wentout, he said he started seeing thewhole top level of the buildingon fire.

Thefires cause has not yet beendetermined.

Eightfire departments respond-ed to the scene and two otherdepartments provided city and

county backup coverage. Cun-ningham thanked all of the fireand public safety personnel who

Fire guts apartmentsResidents are displaced, as fi re raged on a frosty day.

worked for more than 10 hours atthe scene in frigid temperatures.

He said the weather conditionsadded to the challenge of fightingthe fire.

Fighting a fire obviously isdangerous and unsafe in any con-ditions, he said Thursday morn-ing. Were at about seven degrees

outside right now. That certainlyprovides some extremes for ourfirefighters, our personnel.

Firefighters worked toextinguish an extensive

apartment fire on Dec. 5 in ElkRiver. Photo by Jim Boyle of

the Elk River Star News.

Big Lake firefighters were among those from several departmentswho fought the fire. Photo by Joni Astrup of the Elk River Star News.

A firefighter sprayed water on the front of the burning apartment building at the EvansMeadows apartment complex in Elk River. Photo by Joni Astrup of the Elk River Star News.

Fire gutted theFire gutted theapartment buildingapartment building,which had 16 unitswhich had 16 units,15 of which were15 of which wereoccupied. Everyoneoccupied. Everyonemade it out safely.made it out safely.Photo by Jim BoylePhoto by Jim Boyle,Elk River Star News.Elk River Star News.


20/24


Answers to this months crossword

The Worthington Fire Depart-ment led a controlled burn trainingsession Sunday at a home at 830S. Lake St., located south of ShineBros. Corp.

At the end of that street is adead end and there is some landbehind it, Worthington Fire ChiefRick von Holdt said. I believe the

Fire department conducts controlled house burnThree departm ents take part in S. Lake St. exercise

plan is to turn that land into farm-land now that the house is down.

Sixteen members of theWorthington Fire Departme

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